While it is technically correct that control of the NHS in Scotland is currently devolved to the Scottish Parliament, the UK government is a member state of the EU and the European Commission is currently negotiating with the US a free trade agreement of unprecedented scale which will affect Scotlands ability to control its NHS. This is the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (or TTIP). Once it has been ratified by the European Parliament, its implementation will be mandatory across all countries, including Scotland if it remains in the UK. Those promoting TTIP say that health will be exempt from the treaty because it is a public service. However, in the context of free trade agreements, the term public service usually refers only to those services that are not supplied on a commercial basis, or are not in competition with other service providers. Since the passing of the Health and Social Care Act (2012) in England, the NHS in the UK does not conform to this description.
Posted on: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 17:58:12 +0000
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